WOW! It’s been a long couple of years of hanging out at home.  You’ve binge-watched The Home Edit and watched reel after reel of organizing and cleaning videos.  If you are like us, we are ready to deep clean our spaces and head outside to enjoy everything Spring has to offer!
You may have already started your deep clean or maybe need a little nudge in the right direction - either way, Nellie’s is here to help! Did you know that Nellie’s products have multiple uses?  We have put together a guide on how to use your favorite Nellie’s products to tackle this year’s big clean!
We recommend breaking up your clean over a few weeks to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Start with the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room appliances, then move room by room, cleaning the surfaces.
We’ve put together a guide to ensure your space is in tip-top shape, using safe, effective products that get the job done!
 
What you will need:

• Nellie’s Oxygen Brightener
• Nellie’s Dishwasher Powder or Nellie’s Dishwasher Nuggets
• Nellie’s Shower & Bath Cleaner
• Nellie’s All-Purpose Cleaner

 

 
Kitchen Oven
For a non-toxic oven cleaning hack, make a paste with one scoop of Oxygen Brightener and a little hot water and apply to the oven with a sponge or cleaning cloth. Let sit for a few hours and rinse off with a clean cloth and water.  The sodium percarbonate will oxidize the stain and lift off the residue, while the sodium carbonate will neutralize any fatty acid.
 

 
Bathroom Grout and Shower Tiles
To clean tiles and grout, make a paste of 1 scoop of Oxygen Brightener and a little hot water. Use an old toothbrush and some elbow grease to tackle the grout. Rinse thoroughly with a soft cloth and clean water.
To deep clean your shower head, combine one scoop of Dishwasher Powder (or the contents of one Dishwasher Nugget) + 2 oz of Shower & Bath Cleaner and a few cups of hot water in a plastic bag.  Use an elastic to secure the bag around the shower head.  Ensure the shower head is immersed in the liquid.  Let sit for a few hours.  The citric acid in the Shower & Bath Cleaner will help unclog the shower head, clean off any mildew and remove hard water deposits and rust scale.
 

 
Porcelain (Sinks, Bathtub & Toilet)
Nellie’s Shower & Bath was made for porcelain surfaces!  Spray the solution onto shower tiles, bathtub, toilet, and sink. Allow the solution to sit for 15 minutes.  Rub or scour the surfaces with a clean cloth or sponge and rinse with water.  Avoid using abrasive cloths that may scratch the surface.
Tip! If you have a jet tub, try filling the tub with hot water and tossing in 2 x Dishwasher Nuggets for a safe, deep clean of your jets.
 

 
Washer and Dryer:
Nellie’s Laundry Soda does not contain fillers; therefore, you won’t generate build up in your washer or dispenser, eliminating the need for special cleaners.  We do recommend keeping the door of your front loaders open to avoid mildew!
Once you are done deep cleaning the “big things,” continue cleaning each room using Nellie’s All-Purpose Cleaner, Shower & Bath Cleaner and Toilet Bowl Cleaner on surfaces, walls, and toilets!
Follow us on Instagram and stay tuned to learn how Nellie’s Products can also deep clean your outside spaces!
Happy Spring!

Heading out of town and can’t live without your Nellie’s faves?  Here’s how you can use some of our popular travel-size products on the go!

And like most Nellie’s products, our minis have MULTIPLE uses!

 
 

Nellie’s Toilet Spray 

How to use: Spritz in the bowl before you go and eliminate odours with a natural lemony fragrance.

No need to limit to the powder room, spritz any area that needs a little refreshing!
Pack our Toilet Spray in your travel bag or suitcase for when you gotta go…on the go!
 

 
 

Nellie’s Scented Wool Dryerballs 

How to use: Add a hint of fresh scent to your drying experience by adding a single scented dryerball in the dryer alongside four unscented dryerballs.

Tuck a scented dryerball anywhere that could benefit from the scent of pure essential oils! Closets, drawers, cars, sports bags and more!

 
 
 

Nellie’s WOW Stick 

How to use: Pre-treat stains in preparation for laundering! Wet the stain, wet the stick, agitate with water, and toss in the wash!

Keep a WOW Stick in your everyday bag, diaper bag, suitcase, and car - and treat stains as they happen!
 
 
 

 

Wrinkle-B-Gone (88ml & 110ml) 

How to use: Shake, Spray, Smooth & Snap static, and wrinkles away.

Wrinkle-B-Gone makes a great fabric refresher!  Use on couches, curtains, carpets and more!
Pack this travel sized mini-Wrinkle-B-Gone for times when you won’t have access to an iron and to freshen musty spaces!
 
 

 
 

Hand Sanitizer

Keep hands clean with Nellie’s effective, alcohol-free hand sanitizer.  

Keep a mini in your car, on your desk at work and anywhere else you may need to clean your hands frequently!

Spring Cleaning Tips with Nellie's

Alternate Uses for your Favourite Nellie’s Products

 
Since we’re all spending so much time at home these days, there’s no better time than now to start those big projects - and we have a few Spring Cleaning tips to help. While you might have started a few tasks already, it seems like there’s always more to do. If your “I’ll get to it one day” list hasn’t been ticked off in a while, it’s time to channel your inner Marie Kondo and tackle the items that you’ve put on the backburner.
 
Did you know that most Nellie’s products have many alternate uses? That’s right – Laundry Soda can be used for things other than laundry! We’ve put together a list on how to use your favourite Nellie’s products when tackling those big Spring Cleaning jobs, while encouraging you to use the products you already have at home.
 

Here are our top Spring Cleaning tips:

 

Reusable Water Bottles & Travel Mugs & Decanters:

For those impossible-to-reach-the-bottom items: your trusty Nellie’s Water Bottle, your Thermos, or that beautiful wine decanter with a red ring on the bottom from that time you left a tiny bit of Cab Sav in – no matter how long you soak them in hot water, they just won’t clean out. We have a solution!
To remove those tough stains that you can’t reach, add half a scoop of Oxygen Brightener and top with hot water. Let it sit for 1-3 hours, depending on the stain, then rinse thoroughly. The sodium percarbonate from the Oxygen Brightener will oxidize the stain and give you a cleaner mug. Be sure to place the item you’re cleaning in your skin as the powder/water combination might suds up and overflow!
*If you don’t have Oxygen Brightener, you can sub it for Laundry Soda or Dish Powder, however Oxygen Brightener will work best.

 
 

Kitchen Oven:

Another Spring Clean must-do. It seems like everyone has been spending their time during social distancing by baking sourdough or becoming master chefs. Safe to say, our ovens are busier than ever. Unless you do this regularly (kudos to you), chances are your oven has been in need of a deep clean for a while now.
For a non-toxic cleaning hack, make a paste with 1 scoop of Oxygen Brightener and hot water, and apply with a sponge or cloth. Let it sit for a few hours and rinse off with a sponge or cloth wrung from clean water.  The sodium percarbonate will oxidize the stain and lift off soil, while sodium carbonate will neutralize any fatty acid residue.

 
 

Bathroom Grout:

Tile is generally easyto clean, but cleaning grout? No thank you! Because of its porous composition and light colouring, grout is prone to staining. Depending on which rooms in your house have tiles, discolouration can be caused by dirt, grime, spills, mold or mildew.
To clean your grout, make a paste with 1 scoop of Oxygen Brightener and hot water and scrub (with a little bit of elbow grease). We recommend avoiding using an abrasive sponge/scrubber that may scratch the grout. Use a clean, soft cloth and clean water to wipe. Rinse well.
 
 

 
 

Shower Head:

Cleaning the things that clean you is a no-brainer. Think about how old your shower head is. Did it come with your house? Has it ever been replaced? While you generally don’t touch the shower head while showering, it can still get clogged with build-up from years of water running through it, get mildewed, and even develop some nasty bacteria. And if you live somewhere with hard water, chances are your shower head needs some descaling.
Combine 1 scoop Dish Powder + 2 oz of Shower & Bath Cleaner and hot water in a plastic bag. Tie the bag around the shower head and let sit for a few hours. The citric acid in Shower & Bath Cleaner will help unclog your shower head, clean off any mildew, and remove hard water deposits and rust scale.
* If you don’t have both Dish Powder and Shower & Bath Cleaner, you can swap one for 1 oz of distilled vinegar.
 
 

 
 

Porcelain (sink, toilet, or bathtub):

While porcelain is a highly durable surface, it’s susceptible to chips, cracking, and a dulling of the finish. If you use the wrong products, you will do more harm than good, potentially damaging the surface, so it’s important to know what not to use. Abrasive cleaners such as scouring powders, white vinegar (or other cleaners with a high acidic content), and steel wool should all be avoided.
Nellie's Shower & Bath Cleaner was designed for this surface. Apply the solution to a damp sponge or directly on the surface. Allow the solution to sit, then rub or scour. Avoid using an abrasive sponge that may scratch the surface. Use soft cloth to wipe. Rinse well.
* If you don’t have Shower & Bath Cleaner, you can use Oxygen Brightener. Combine 1 scoop and hot water to make a paste, let sit for 20 mins, and scrub gently. Sodium percarbonate will oxidize the stain and sodium carbonate will neutralize grease or oil.
 
 

 
 

Patio Cushions

As warm weather is popping up, it’s a great time to get your patio summer-ready! If your cushions have been sitting in storage collecting dust, or even worse, sitting outside during the entire winter, they’re probably in need of a good refresher.
To revive your cushions, add 1/2 scoop of Oxygen Brightener and warm water into a spray bottle and shake gently to mix the solution. Spray stained areas and scrub gently with a soft brush. For more serious stains, use a WOW Stick.
 
 

 

Baseboards

This is probably something you do regularly, but we have a trick to make it easier than ever. Even if your entire house is shiny and clean, if you forget about cleaning your baseboards, it’s quite the eyesore. Did you know you can clean them without even bending over?
Position your WOW Mop’s Scrub & Polish pads so they stick out about 3-4 inches on the same side. Angle them up at a 90-degree angle, turn your mop on, spray, and go! Make sure that the part of your pads covering your baseboards get a bit of Floor Care (or the solution of your choice) on them. Ta da!
 
 
Most importantly, keep in mind that not everyone needs to be super ridiculously productive while we’re dealing with an unprecedented health crisis. For some, crossing off a to-do list helps, but if you don’t get anything done, that’s fine too! Just remember the number one tip that we can offer: practice self-care and be kind to yourself. Now go ahead, pour yourself that glass of wine!
 

2020 Vision: Nellie's New Year's Resolutions

December is a great time to reflect on the year that passed, to look ahead at what 2020 has in store, and to set New Year's resolutions for what we hope to achieve. We wanted to take a minute to thank YOU for being a part our eco-friendly online community and providing us with valuable feedback throughout the year, which we're proud to put into action.
Here are our 2020 goals:
GLASS
We're moving to replace our plastic liquid containers with glass bottles. Why glass? There's too much plastic on Planet Earth. Glass is endlessly recyclable, eventually turns into sand, and won’t harm our oceans.
STRIVING TO BE PLASTIC FREE
To help eliminate plastic waste, our liquids (like our new Fresh Mist) will come without a spray nozzle. We're asking you to please consider reusing one from home first. If you don't have one, you can order one from our website for free.⁠⠀
NEW METAL TINS
We've heard you loud and clear: that small plastic bag inside our Laundry Soda tins has got to go! Right now, we've had to include that bag as our powders were causing corrosion with the metal inside the tin. We've developed new packaging that won't spill during shipping, won't cause corrosion, and is still recyclable.
USING LESS

One of the biggest pieces of feedback we've received this year is that our customers want to use less packaging and to see more bulk options. We will be adding a few more options for bulk buckets and introducing liquid refill options!
REUSE... THEN RECYCLE
You already know that you can reuse your WOW Mop floor pads over and over - just throw them in the wash! But as for packaging, our goal is to offer items that can be reused first... and recycled second. Whether it's our metal tins that can act as storage containers or plant pots, or our Wool Dryerballs tin that doubles as a piggy bank, we will work to make sure all our packaging has a second use. We will also replace as much of our packaging as possible with more sustainable options, such as metal and glass, as those are some of the most easily recyclable materials and can be reused over and over.
 
What are YOUR New Year's resolutions? Tell us in the comments below!

Your Fall Cleaning Checklist:

What to Tackle in October

As the leaves begin to fall, the change of seasons is a great time to tackle big cleaning tasks to prepare your house for the winter.
Read below for what you should do make sure both the inside and outside of your house is in good shape once the weather gets unpleasant!

Inside Your House

Windows: Use All-Purpose Cleaner, or add a bit of One Soap in a spray bottle filled with water, and wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Pick a cloudy day so you can better see any streaks.
Vacuum: All those spots you’ve been neglecting. Yes, we mean take off your couch cushions and get right in there. Vacuum your drapes, vinyl shades, light fixtures, too. Spray your drapes with Wrinkle-B-Gone for that crisp, clean, wrinkle-free look.
Closets: Go through all your clothes and donate whatever you can. While homeless shelters see donations spike during the holidays, they are in need of items year-round. Donate what you can before it gets cold, and be sure to make sure it's washed well (with Laundry Soda, of course)!
Heat Sources: Replace your furnace filter, especially if you haven’t changed your furnace filter within the past three months. Sweep your chimney. Have a wood-burning fireplace? With chilly weather coming in, it’s a good time to have it professionally inspected and swept, before you start using it more frequently.
 

Outside Your House

Weather Stripping: Check your weather stripping and caulking around your doors and windows, so you don’t lose any precious heat. It’ll be much easier to do it now, rather than when it’s freezing and you’re working with an open window!
Gutters: This is a great time to check your gutters and make sure they’re ready for the upcoming weather changes. Don’t forget your downspouts!
Patio Furniture: Time to store away your patio cushions! Don’t forget to give everything a good wipe down – it’ll make your life easier when spring rolls around.
Did we miss anything in our Fall Cleaning Checklist? Tell us in the comments!